THE Philippine government does not waive the conditions imposed for the impending visit of United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions Agnes Callamard to the Philippines, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Callamard still has to abide by the conditions set, in order for her to be able to come to the Philippines and investigate the spate of drug-related deaths recorded under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"I'm sure that the President is very clear about the conditionalities. And if she meets up, then it will have to be according to those conditionalities. As far as we can tell, he has not said that conditions are waived," Abella told a press conference.
Last Monday, Duterte hurled expletives against Callamard and challenged her again to visit the Philippines and probe the country's war on drugs.
Duterte's tirade was in reply to Callamard's call to Duterte to ensure that the death of Kian Lloyd Delos Santos, the latest victim of drug war slain on August 16, will be the "last" under his administration.
"She's son of a b****. Tell her, do not threaten me. She's son of a b****. She's a stupid," Duterte said in Filipino during his visit in Pampanga.
"Go here and see the situation. Do not ever give me that kind of s***. This is the Republic of the Philippines, not a French territory. She’s stupid because she's not listening to what I’m saying," he added.
Earlier, the government said Callamard could only investigate the drug killings in the Philippines if she agrees to have a public debate with Duterte, allow the President to ask her several questions, and take an oath.
Callamard, however, refused to acknowledge the three conditions, saying that such is not consistent with the Code of Conduct for special rapporteurs like her.
Responding to Duterte's latest profanity laden speech against her, Callamard said the President should rather respond to her request with "empathy."
"I regret President Duterte's response to my condolences to Kian Lloyd Delos Santos' family. Kian and others like him deserve dignity and justice. His family and families like his demand our respect and empathy. Not expletives," Callamard said in a post on Facebook.
Callamard likewise remained optimistic that the minor's death would "shed an independent and impartial light over repeated allegations of extrajudicial executions by the Philippines' police."
Abella, however, said Duterte already made it clear that the government would ensure "fair and truthful" actions on Delos Santos' case.
"I think the President's actions already answer that. The fact that he promised fair and truthful, impartial action regarding the matter. What truly matters is that his intention is to get to the root of the issue," he said. (VoxPop Philippines)
